Syed Kausar appointed Governor of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province

Peshawar/Islamabad: Syed Masood Kausar, a
senior Pakistan People`s Party leader and former provincial
assembly speaker, was appointed the new Governor of the
militancy-hit Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

Kausar, the brother of the late poet Ahmad Faraz, will
replace Owais Ahmed Ghani, who was appointed Governor by the
regime of former military ruler Pervez Musharraf.

Kausar was appointed by President Asif Ali Zardari on
the advice of the Prime Minister, said a statement issued by
the presidency.

The governor-designate called on President Zardari at
the presidency this afternoon for discussions.

Zardari expressed the hope that Kausar will provide
moral and political support in the fight against militancy and
work for the welfare and uplift of the people of Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal areas.

Zardari asked Kausar to give special attention to the
development of tribal areas, particularly the early
implementation of reforms aimed at bringing people to the
mainstream of national life and removing their sense of
deprivation.

PPP leaders had been pushing for the appointment of
someone from among their ranks to the post.

The move to change the Governor started when PPP
workers told the President, who is also head of the party,
that they were not comfortable with the Awami National Party,
which rules Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Increasing frustration among party workers compelled
the PPP`s leadership to change the Governor, sources said.

"The Chief Minister`s House is occupied by the ANP men
and PPP workers and leaders have no place to go to for
resolving their problems despite being the single largest
party in parliament," said a PPP leader who did not want to be
named.

Ghani, the current incumbent, benefitted from the
October 1999 coup led by Musharraf and was considered one of
the blue eyed boys of the former dictator.

Ghani served as a provincial minister, a federal
minister and Governor of Balochistan province under the
military regime.

His period as Governor of Balochistan was
controversial, especially following the killing of Baloch
nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti in a military operation.

He became Governor of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in January
2008 after Lt Gen (retired) Ali Muhammad Jan Orakzai stepped
down from the post.

Ghani gained a reputation for being tough with
militants during his tenure.